Ironing machine



Nov. 15, 19 27.

1,649,456 H.-C. ELLIS ETAL IRONING CHINE I 21 mm): 18. 1926 2Sheets-Shoot 1 Patented Nov. 1927 I seen-ea STATES PATENT orrlcr.

heated by any suitable means,

, HUBERT o. ELLIS AND nonrren o. Ennis,

OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS. v

. InonI'NG MACHINE.

ap ea filed. March 18, 1926. Serial No. 95,525. i

The invention relates to ironing machines and more particularly to thattype inv wh ch a flateiron is reciprocated over a fixed table undercontrol of the operator.

7 One object of the invention is to provide a machine of this type, withimproved n ech anis n jfor reciprocating. an iron, which comprise-stheelectric motorwhich travels with the ron- Another object isto provideimproved res ciprocating mechanism in which simplereversible gearing isused. r

- Another ob'ect of the invention is to provide a machine of thischaracter which is simple in construction and is readily accessible. r pe Other objects of the invention will appear from-the detaileddescription.

The invention consitj'n the several novel features hereinafter set forthand more particularly defined by the claims at the conclusion hereof. t

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective of a machine embodying theinvention. Fig, 2 is a'vertical section through the reversible gearing.Fig. 8 is a detail section, showing the iron-lifting device- Fig, 4 is aplan view, the motor being removed- Fig.5 is a section taken on line 5-5of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 66 of Fig. 4;.

The invention is exemplified in astrue turecomprising a supporti g f mwh ch is built up of sides 10, a longitudinal me ns ber 11 and'a platehaving a horizontal portion forming a base 13 and a vertical por tion 1iforming a back, all of which are rigidly secured together in suitablemanner, to form a rigid supporting structure. An ironing-board orv table15 is supported in an elevated position by a standard 16 adjacent oneend, which is provided with an angular extension 17,to support the otherend, so that garments may he slipped over the table. The ironing-tableis usually usually electrically, in a mannerwellunderstood injt'he art.a flat-iron 18, usually of sufficient weight to produce the necessarypressure for ironing, is reciprocable horizontallyover the table 15 andis suspended by a universal joint 19 from an arm 2O, this jointpermitting the necessary freedom of movement. of theiron to cause it toadapt its position to the material being ironed.

Arm 20 is formed on a carriage-24 which is provided with circularbearings 21 and 22 which are adapted to slide and rock on a shaft 23which, extends longitudinally across the back of. the frame andisfilxedly secured in sides 10 of the supporting frame;

The mechanism for reciprocating the car- 7 hwh of the riage comprises anelectric motor 25 is, fixed to a bracket 26 at theback carr age ands-movable therewith.

shaft '2Tof the motor extends downwardly through a gear-housing 28formedonthe V carriage, to drive a pinion 29 which meshes with atoothedrack 30 formed on the upper portion of the stationary sha ft 23., Pinion29 enclosed in a pocket 31 formed at therear operate reversible gearingand of the carriage, and is fixed to a shaft 32 t which is journalledinabearing formed in the back of the housing 28. A bevelled. frictionpulley {E lis keyed to the front endof the shaft and engages with anupper bevelled friction pulley 35 and a lower bevelled friction pulley36, so that pulley 34, shaft- 82 and pinion 29 may be driven in oppositedirections to correspondingly shift thecarriage and the flat-iron. and36 are loosely mounted on the motor shaft 27, movement in the housing 28by a collar 39.

A clutchscollar lQis slidable on, shaft 27 between pulleys 35, 86 and issplined to said Pulleys 3 5 and each is confined against axial shaft, sothat it willrotate therewith in anyposition of the collar. This collaris provided with clutch-teeth ll to engage cor responding teeth 42 onpulley 35 to drive the pinion 2 9 in one direction, and with oppositelyfacing clutch-teeth d3, adapted to interlock with clutch teeth 14 onpulley 36 to drive the pinion 29 in the opposite direction. The collarto is movable into neutralp osie ion between pulleys 35, 36, so that there versible gearing will be inoperative by the shaft 27 This exemplifiesreversible gearing for driving the pinion 29 to cause the carriage andthe fiat iron to move in oppoite directionswithin therange provided for.

' which are disposed adjacent the frame-side rear end of said shaft.Said cam has a groove to shift and hold a lever 56 which is pivotallysupported by a shaft 57 which is mounted in the housing 28 and isprovided with a fork 58 which has studs 59 extending into an annulargroove 60 in clutch collar 44 and whereby the collar may be shifted andheld while it is rotating. The groove in the rear face of cam 55 has aconcentric portion 55 adapted to hold lever 58 in its neutral position,a portion 55, adapted to hold the lever so the clutch-collar will belocked to drive wheel 36 to rotate pinion 29 in one direction, a portion55 adapted to hold the clutch-lever so the collar will be lockedto drivewheel to rotate the pinion 29 in the opposite direction, and inclinedportions between said holding portions, whereby the clutch -leverwill beshifted from neutral to either of its other positions and vice versa.This exemplifies a clutch-controlling device for the reversible gearingwhich is mounted on the iron carriage and which may be convenientlymanipulated to control the movement of the iron from any point withinits range of travel. To automatically shift the clutch collar when theiron reaches the end of its stroke in either direction, a slide 62 isslidably held by screws 63 on top of the carriage and is formed with alongitudinal slot 64 to permit limited movement of the slide relativelyto the carriage. This slide is provided at its front with depending lugs65 and 66 which are adapted to engage a stud 67 formed on cam 55 and atits rear with lugs 68 and 69'which are adapted to engage the hubs ofarms 70 respectively 10. When the iron is travelling to the left,

i as the result of the shift of the handle in the same direction, stud67 will engage lug 66 and shift the slide to the left, so that, as

I it approaches the end of its stroke, lug 69 will strike arm 70 untilthe cam has been shifted into its neutral position, whereupon wheel 85will become idle, so that the iron will stop. When the iron istravelling to the right, as the result of the movement of the handle 45in the same direction, lug 68 will engage the arm 70 at the right sideof the machine as the carriage approaches the end of its stroke to shiftlever 57 to operate the clutch-member 40 into neutral position and thusdisconnect the driving connection for wheel 86, so that the iron willstop. This exemplifies means for automatically shifting a clutch forcontrolling the reversible gearing to stop the carriage at the end ofits stroke.

Carriage 20 is preferably formed of sections 249, 2 t which areremovably secured together by bolts 24, to permit the reverse gearing tobe conveniently assembled and to provide access thereto wheneverdesired.

The housing 28 is adapted to contain lubricant for the gearing. A switch84, for controlling the motor, may be mounted at any convenient point.Current will be supplied to the motor 25 through a flexible cord whichmaintains a connection between the motor and a source of current whenthe iron is in any of its positions.

In practice, it is frequently desirable to lift the iron overobstructions, such as buttons, on the material being ironed, withoutstopping the iron. To permit this to be done, provision is made wherebythe operator may manually and readily lift the iron off the work andlower it; The carriage 24 is free to rock on shaft 23 for this purpose.A roller 71 is mounted on the lower end of a fork 72 projectingdownwardly from the carriage. This roller is adapted to be shifted by anangle-bar 73 which extends longitudinally across the back of the frameand is pivotally suspended at its ends by arms 70 which are hung onshaft 23. Angle-bar 73 is provided with a roller 74 which is adapted tobe engaged by a cam 75 on the upper end of a rod 76 which is mounted toslide vertically in guides 77. A lever 78, which is fulcrumed to thebase of the frame at 79, and pivoted at 81to rod 76 is provided at itsfront end with a pedal 80, by which cam 75 may be shifted at the will ofthe operator. A spring 81 is applied to normally hold the cam in itsinoperative position. When the iron is in its working position, roller71 will be disengaged from angle bar 73, so that the weight of the ironwill be applied to the work. lVhen the pedal 80 is depressed while theiron is in any of its positions, cam 7 5 will swing the angle bar 68forwardly to swing the carriage to lift the arm 20 upwardly and lift theiron off the work. WVhen the pedalis released, the iron will drop backonto the work. Thus, the operator may read ily lift the iron off anobstruction without stopping the movement of the iron. The teeth of rack30 are formed to permit slight relative shift of the pinion 29 withoutdisengaging the pinion from the rack. The range of movement of the ironto the rlght is sufficient to permit it to travel off the ironing tableand to effect automatic lifting of the iron, and to hold. it supportedafter it passes off the table 15,-a track 82 is formed adjacent one endof the angle bar 73 onto which the roller 70 will ride before the ironleaves the table. 15.

The invention exemplifies an ironing machine in which the flat iron maybe reciprocated at will of the operator by mechanism comprisingreversible gearing and a motor mounted to travel with the carriage, fromwhich the iron is suspended; which is simple in construction andefficientin operation; which'is readily controllable; and in which theiron may be manually raisedto pass over obstructions 'onthe Work at thewill of the o erator.

The-invention is not'to be' understoodas restricted to the details setforth, since these may be modified within the scope ofthe appendedclaims, Without departing from the table, mechanism for reciprocatingthe iron,

a n'electric motor mounted to reciprocate with the iron and connected todrive said mechanism, and means-tocontrol said mechanism to start andstop-the iron at Will at any point ivithin its range of travel.

52.- I'nanironingmachine, the combination of a frame, an ironing table,a flat-iron mount-ed to reciprocate horizontally over thetable,=mecha'nism for reciprocating the ironcomprising reversiblegearing, r eciprocable With the iron, a-n'e'lec'tric mot-or connected todrive saidgearn'ig,=, also mounted to reciprocate with the iron,andineans to control said mechanism a)- start and stop the iron at Wlllat any point withinits range of travel. In an ironing machine'- thecombination of a frame, an ironing table, a verticallymovable flat-ironmounted to reciprocate horizontally over the table; means for verticallyshifting theiron, mechanism for reciprocating the iron, an' electricmotor, reciprocab le and vertically .mo'va-ble with the iron andconnected to drive-said mechanism, and means to control said mechanismto start and stop the iron. at Will at any point- Within its range oftravel.

at. In an ironing-machine, the combination of a frame, a-nironing table,a fiat-iron, an armmounted to reciprocate. horizontally over the tableand to'sWing-vertically, means for swinging the arm, mechanism for recipro'catin'g the arm, an electric motor 0011- nected to drive saidmechanism and mounted; to reciprocate With the arm, and means to controlsaid mechanism to start and stop the iron at ivill at any point Withinits range; of travel.

5. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, anironing table, afiat-iron mounted to reciprocate horizontally over-the table, mechanismfor reciprocating the iron, an electric motor conn'e'ctedto drive'saidmechanism and mounted. to reciprocate with the iron, means toautomatically stop the iron at the end of its range of movement andmeans to control said mechanism to start and stop the iron at will atany point Within itsrange of travel. 1

6. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing table,a vertically movable fiat-iron mountedto reciprocate horizontally overthe table, m'ean'sto vertically shift the iron, mechanism forreciprocating the iron, an electric motor connected to drive saidmechanism and reciprocable and vertically movable with the iron, meansfor manually lifting the iron at any point Within its range of travel,and means to con trol said mechanism tostart and stop the iron at-Willat any point Within its range of travel. 1

7. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, a carriagemounted-to reciprocate horizontally in the frame, a flat-iron mountedon-and to reciprocate with the carriage,

reversible gearing mounted on and to recip rocat-e With and connected toreciprocate the carriage, means for driving the gearing mounted on andto move with the carriage, and means to control said gearing to startand stop the iron at will at any point within its range of travel. r I A8. In an ironing machine,- the combinationof a frame, a carriage mountedto reciprocate horizontally and to swing vertically in the frame, meansto-shift the carriage vertically, a fiat-iron mounted on and toreciprocate with the carriage, mechanism for reciprocat ing the carriagecomprising reversible gearing mounted on the carriage, and means tocontrol said mechanism to start and stop the iron at Will at any pointWithin itsrange of travel.

9. In an ironing machine,the combination of a" frame, a carriage mountedto reciprocate horizontally in the frame, a fiat-iron mountedon and toreciprocate with the carriage, reversible gearing mounted on andconnectedto: reciprocate the carriage, a motor mounted on the carriageand connected: to drive said gearing, and means to control said gear ingtostart and stop the iron at Will at any point Within its range oftravel;

10. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, a carriagemounted to reciprocate horizontally in the frame, a fiatiron mounted onand to reciprocate Withthe carriage, reversible gearing mounted on andconnected to reciprocate the carriage, a-motor connected to drive saidgearing and mounted onand to reciprocate with the carriage, and meansmounted on the carriage to control said gearing to start and stop theiron at Will at any point Within its range of travel. .1

11'. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, a carriagemounted toreciprocate horizontally in the frame, a flatiron mounted onand to reciprocate with the carriage, reversible gearing mounted on andto reciprocate with and connected to reciprocate the carriage, a motormounted on the carriage and connected to drive said gearing, means toautomatically stop the iron at the end of its range of travel, and meansto con- Mil trol said mechanism to start and stop the iron at Will atany point Within its range of.

ciprocate horizontally and to swing .ver-

tically in the frame, means for vertically swinging the carriage, aflat-iron mounted on and to reciprocate With the carriage, reversiblegearing mounted on and connected. to reciprocate the carriage, meansmounted on the carriage for driving said gearing, means for manuallylifting the iron at any point Within its range of travel, and means tocontrol said mechanism to start andstop the iron at Will at any pointWithin its range of travel. I

13. In an ironing machine, the con'ibination of a frame, an ironingtable, a carriage mounted to reciprocate in the frame, a fiat ironmounted on and to reciprocate with said carriage, mechanism forreciprocating the carriage comprising stationary rack, a pinion mountedon the carriage and engaging the raclnand means for driving said pinion,and means to control the operation of said mechanism to start and stopthe iron at Will at any point Within its range of travel.

14. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing table,a car riage mounted to reciprocate in the frame, a fiat-iron mounted onand to reciprocate with said carriage, mechanism for reciprocating thecarriage comprising a stationary rack, a pinion mounted on the carriageand engaging the rack, and reverse gears for driving said pinion, meansfor driving said gears and means to control the operation of saidmechanism to start and stop the iron at will at any point Within itsrange of travel.

15. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing table,a carriage mounted to reciprocate and vertically movable in the frame, aflat-iron mounted on and to reciprocate With said carriage, mechanismfor reciprocating the carriage comprising a stationary rack, a pinionmounted on the carriage and engaging the raclr, reverse gears fordriving said pinion, and means for driving said gears, means to lift thecarriage, and means to control the operation of said mechanism to startand stop the iron at will at any point Within its range of travel.

16. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing table,a carriage mounted to reciprocate in the frame, a flatiron mounted onand to reciprocate With said carriage, mechanism mounted on the *arriagefor reciprocating the carriage comprising a motor, a stationary rack, apinion mounted on the carriage and engaging the rack, and reverse gearsconnected to be driven by the motor and for driving said pinion, andmeans to control the operation of said mechanism to start and stop theiron at Will at any point Within its range of travel.

17. In. an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironingtable, a carriage mounted to reciprocate and to swing vertically in theframe, a flat-iron mounted on and to reciprocate With said carriage,mechanism for reciprocating the carriage comprising reversible gearingmounted on and to reciprocate With the carriage, a pinion driven by saidgearing, a stationary rack engaged by the pinion, and a motor connectedto drive the reversible gearing, and means mounted on the carriage tocontrol said gearing to start and stop the iron at Will at any pointWithin its range of travel.

18. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing table,a. carriage mounted to reciprocate in the frame, a flatiron mounted onand to reciprocate With said carriage, mechanism for reciprocating thecarriage comprising reversible gearing mounted on and to reciprocateWith the carriage, a pinion driven by said gearing and a rack engaged bythe pinion, and means mounted on the carriage to control said gearing tostart and stop the iron at Will at any point Within its range of travel,comprising a clutch-collar, and a handle for shifting said collar.

19. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing table,a carriage mounted to reciprocate in the frame, a'fiatiron mounted onand to reciprocate with said carriage, reversible gearing mounted on andto reciprocate With the carriage, means driven by the gearing forreciprocating the carriage, a motor mounted on the carriage for drivingsaid gearing, and means mounted on the carriage to control said gearingto start and stop the iron at will at any point Within its range oftravel. v I

20. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing table,a carriage mounted to reciprocate and to swing vertically in the frame,a fiat-iron mounted on and to reciprocate with said carriage, mechanismfor reciprocating the carriage comprising reversible gearing mounted onand to reciprocate With the carriage, a pinion driven by said gearingand a stationary rack engaged by said pinion, means to manually lift thecarriage at any point, and means mounted on the carriage to control saidgearing to start and stop the iron at Will at any point Within its rangeof travel.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 3rd day of March, 1926.

HUBERT C. ELLIS. NORMAN C. ELLIS.

